IYA2009 Updates

SPICA telescopes empower astronomy education Recently, ORBYS Inc donated a Spica Telescope Kit to each recipient of the Galileo Teachers Training Session seed grants. This is in addition to the 3 000 telescopes that had already been given to developing countries in the You are Galileo! project.These kits represent an important additional support to the educational activities in developing countries: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1078/John Dobson Inaugurates Living Legend SeriesJohn Dobson, popularizer of the widely-used Dobsonian telescope design that now bears his name, will be interviewed in the first episode of a new series of webcasts, Astronomers Without Borders' Living Legend Series on Saturday, November 13. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1079/ Astronomers Without Borders Newsletter October 2010: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1081/

Highlights of Astronomy 15 from the 2009 International Astronomical Union General Assembly are now online,Including reports from the session: SpS2-The International Year of Astronomy 2009: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?decade=2000&jid=IAU&volumeId=5&issueId=H15&iid=7915056 IYA2009 Call for Additional Reports A few weeks ago we released the 1400-page final report for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. This report is a compilation of the achievements of the 216 IYA2009 stakeholders — 148 countries, 40 international organisations and 28 global projects. It shows the excitement, engagement and community involvement engendered by IYA2009. The report is intended to stand as a record of the legacy of this astonishing international celebration of astronomy. Although comprehensive, the report cannot acknowledge every single event, project or activity during IYA2009. To mitigate this, the IYA2009 secretariat calls on individuals, organisations, universities, amateur associations, etc. to submit any additional IYA2009 relevant reports, brochures and books to be archived on the main IYA2009 website for posterity: http://www.astronomy2009.org/reports/ Such reports can be submitted until end of November 2010 in any language and in rich text, word or PDF format to iya2009@eso.org with the country name in the subject line.

Latest Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal Highlights Cultural AstronomyThis special issue of Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal (CAPjournal) looks at IYA2009 events that focused on cultural astronomy and discusses how including a historical or cultural aspect can help communicators to engage with a wider audience. Read more: http://www.capjournal.org/issues/09/index.php

John Dobson Inaugurates Living Legend Series

John Dobson, popularizer of the widely-used Dobsonian telescope design that now bears his name, will be interviewed in the first episode of a new series of webcasts, Astronomers Without Borders' Living Legend Series on Saturday, November 13.

Perhaps no name is better known in the global community of astronomy enthusiasts than that of Dobson who at age 95 has had a lifetime of outreach and activism. His determination to bring astronomy to the people was a driving force behind the creation of the sidewalk astronomy movement. Pioneering new methods of making telescopes more accessible, Dobson paved the way for astronomy outreach regardless of access to professional facilities.

This first Living Legend Series webcast will stream live online to a limited online audience. Dobson will take questions from viewers during this portion of the webcast. The entire recorded program will be available for streaming by everyone a few hours after the initial live broadcast.

Access for viewing the live webcast is available by reservation only. Priority will be given to Affiliates of Astronomers Without Borders, the groups that are a part of the AWB global community. AWB Affiliates interested in taking part should write to us with the group's name and the representative's contact information. Events with groups viewing the webcast will also have the opportunity to appear by video in the webcast. A small number of groups will be chosen to ask live questions, with a chat box available for others to submit comments and questions. There are 500 places so it is expected that there will be plenty of space for others after the AWB Affiliate spaces are assigned, with priority given first to groups holding events to maximize the number of people taking part in the live webcast. Information and updates will be available at the webcast's web page .

This is the first of a continuing series of Living Legend Series webcasts presenting the people behind the names known throughout the worldwide community of astronomy enthusiasts.

Get Ready for Global Astronomy Month 2011

Global Astronomy Month 2011 is coming! After the success of GAM2010, April 2011 will see an expanded GAM2011. More programs and more participation will higlight the second edition of this new annual event of astronomy. The unprecedented and historic International Year of Astronomy in 2009 showed the way,. Now Astronomers Without Borders is working to keep the legacy and gains of IYA2009 alive with a place for programs of all kinds. Make plans for your club, program or outreach facility and watch for updates soon.

The preliminary schedule for GAM2011 is taking shape now and the first programs will be announced in an update soon. If you have a program you'd like to be a part of GAM please write to us .

Global Projects for IYA2009 and Beyond: Talk by Mike Simmons, Founder/President of AWB

Mike Simmons, founder and president of Astronomers Without Borders, delivered a presentation on "Global Projects for IYA2009 and Beyond" at the meeting of Orange County Astronomers in California, USA. Watch a video of the talk .

AWB Project News:

First International Observe the Moon Night a Great Success

Thousand of eyes around the world had the opportunity to see the moon close-up on September 18, 2010, during the world’s first ever International Observe the Moon Night.

The event took place through over 500 activities hosted in 53 countries, where participants not only had the chance to observe the moon through telescopes but also to participate in star parties, planetarium shows, games, campfires, moon song fests, space origami projects and celebrations of Dobsonian telescope creator John Dobson’s birthday.

International Observe the Moon Night had its roots in the renewed interest in lunar exploration energized by recent highly publicized missions such as LRO and LCROSS. That renewed interest led to 2009’s National Observe the Moon Night in the USA during the International Year of Astronomy. That observance, in turn, was so successful that it was expanded into this year’s worldwide event.

The date has already been set for next year’s International Observe the Moon Night: October 8, 2011. See you then!

International Observe the Moon Night Event Reports Available

InOMN2010 concluded successfully with many AWB affiliate groups from around the globe taking part. The list of event reports is available on the AWB Members blog .

Video of InOMN from the Pacific Astronomy and Telescope Show, with AWB President Mike Simmons interviewing some "stars" of astronomy, is available on the AWB website .

Observers these October nights enjoy a sky dominated by brilliant Jupiter. This October, Jupiter outshines every other night light except the moon and an occasional fireball. Aided a bit by its closest approach to Earth since the early 1960s, it's even a shade brighter than usual. AWB celebrated this with a new Beauty without Borders effort, “Let’s Welcome the Giant .” Observers around the world were invited to give the king of the planets some extra attention on October 16.

News from The World at Night (TWAN)

TWAN Mystery October 2010: Dark Bands in the Sky. What are the dark vertical bands on the right side of this recent aurora image from northern Canada? Are they black aurora or an atmospheric phenomenon?

John Dobson, popularizer of the widely-used Dobsonian telescope design that now bears his name, will be interviewed in the first episode of a new series of webcasts, Astronomers Without Borders' Living Legend Series on Saturday, November 13.

Perhaps no name is better known in the global community of astronomy enthusiasts than that of Dobson who at age 95 has had a lifetime of outreach and activism. His determination to bring astronomy to the people was a driving force behind the creation of the sidewalk astronomy movement. Pioneering new methods of making telescopes more accessible, Dobson paved the way for astronomy outreach regardless of access to professional facilities.

This first Living Legend Series webcast will stream live online to a limited online audience. Dobson will take questions from viewers during this portion of the webcast. The entire recorded program will be available for streaming by everyone a few hours after the initial live broadcast. The one hour program, live from Hollywood, California, USA, begins at 19.00 UT (GMT).

Access for viewing the live webcast is available by reservation only. Priority will be given to Affiliates of Astronomers Without Borders, the groups that are a part of the AWB global community. AWB Affiliates interested in taking part should write to us - (LLS@astronomerswithoutborders.org) with the group's name and the representative's contact information. Events with groups viewing the webcast will also have the opportunity to appear by video in the webcast. A small number of groups will be chosen to ask live questions, with a chat box available for others to submit comments and questions. There are 500 places so it is expected that there will be plenty of space for others after the AWB Affiliate spaces are assigned, with priority given first to groups holding events to maximize the number of people taking part in the live webcast. Information and updates will be posted on this page as it becomes available.

This is the first of a continuing series of Living Legend Series webcasts presenting the people behind the names known throughout the worldwide community of astronomy enthusiasts.

In the framework of the International Year of Astronomy 20009 and the Galileoscope project, the Japanese IYA2009 node launched the project You are Galileo! , in which two types of low-cost telescopes were specially designed for children. The telescopes, which are the same size as that used by Galileo Galilei in his observations, are affordable instruments to attract Japanese youngsters to astronomy. The project also donated 3 000 telescopes to developing countries.

Using the You are Galileo! telescope, children can enjoy looking at planets, stars andmoons, just as Galileo saw them than 400 years ago. Through these observations, children can share the same surprise and discovery that the great astronomer onceexperienced.

The kits are easy to assemble and have been produced to specifications that will suit either younger or older children. The higher-spec telescope, which was producedby ORBYS Inc, is called the Spica Telescope Kit. This telescope features 35x magnification, which will easily discern the beauty of Saturn’ s rings, as well as manyother wonders of the Universe.

“ It was a pleasure for ORBYS Inc to be deeply involved with the astronomy community during 2009. Our company’ s goal is to support astronomy education worldwide beyond IYA2009,” says Yasuharu Hanaoka, President of ORBYS Inc.

Recently, ORBYS Inc donated a Spica Telescope Kit to each recipient of the GalileoTeachers Training Session seed grants. This is in addition to the 3 000 telescopes that had already been given to developing countries in the You are Galileo! project. These kits represent an important additional support to the educational activities indeveloping countries.

Latest Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal Highlights Cultural AstronomyThis special issue of Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal (CAPjournal) looks at IYA2009 events that focused on cultural astronomy and discusses how including a historical or cultural aspect can help communicators to engage with a wider audience. Read more: http://www.capjournal.org/issues/09/index.php Mission X launches on the Internet ‘Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut’, an educational project by ESA and its international partners, will leave the launch pad in January. More information: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMNZKYOBFG_index_0.html

2011 Brings another 365 Days of Astronomy The award-winning 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is proud to announce the project will continue for yet another year – its third year — and is now accepting sign-ups for participants for another 365 podcasts in 2011. 2011 encompasses the Year of the Solar System, which marks an unprecedented flurry of robotic exploration of space, and is the perfect opportunity for more of the public to become involved in creating podcasts to share astronomy with the world. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1074/ Sagan Day Essay ContestIn honor of Carl Sagan's birthday on November 9th, we invite you to pause and reflect on the imagery that he created for us in his allegory of the Shore of the Cosmic Ocean. We invite you to communicate your thoughts and ideas, your reflections on the past and your visions for the future. We want the written expressions of what you see as you stand on that shore. How did you arrive there with your individual perspective? Where will we go from here? What drives us toward those distant shores? What embodies the spirit of exploration? All ideas inspired by The Shore of the Cosmic Ocean are acceptable. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1075/

"The surface of the Earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean. On this shore, we've learned most of what we know. Recently, we've waded a little way out, maybe ankle-deep, and the water seems inviting. Some part of our being knows this is where we came from. We long to return, and we can, because the cosmos is also within us. We're made of star stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself." - Carl Sagan, Cosmos, 1980

In honor of Carl Sagan's birthday on November 9th, we invite you to pause and reflect on the imagery that he created for us in his allegory of the Shore of the Cosmic Ocean. We invite you to communicate your thoughts and ideas, your reflections on the past and your visions for the future. We want the written expressions of what you see as you stand on that shore. How did you arrive there with your individual perspective? Where will we go from here? What drives us toward those distant shores? What embodies the spirit of exploration? All ideas inspired by The Shore of the Cosmic Ocean are acceptable.

By submitting their work, contributors are confirming that the meet the eligibility requirements and implicity agree to allow the Kepler Team and SETI Institute to print, re-print, distribute, and display their work, in whole or in part, in print and web versions, without compensation of any kind.

Authors who quote or include graphics from other works must state that they have secured any necessary permissions, and are responsible for any infractions of copyright law for their essays.

We will not accept submissions of essays which are under consideration by other publications.

Judging:

A panel of judges comprised of 2 Kepler team members, 2 SETI scientists, and 2 outside panelists will select the winning essay based on style, content, and the potential to inspire humanity, as Sagan did so brilliantly, towards those distant shores.

The winning essay will be published on the Kepler and SETI websites together with contributions from Kepler/SETI scientists and special "friends". Winners will also receive a framed Kepler First Light Image, signed by the Kepler Team at NASA Ames Research Center.

The award-winning 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is proud to announce the project will continue for yet another year – its third year — and is now accepting sign-ups for participants for another 365 podcasts in 2011. 2011 encompasses the Year of the Solar System, which marks an unprecedented flurry of robotic exploration of space, and is the perfect opportunity for more of the public to become involved in creating podcasts to share astronomy with the world.

365 Days of Astronomy is a legacy project of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA), and in 2009 was a major project of the IYA. For two years now, the project has published one podcast for every day of the year. The episodes are written, recorded and produced by people all around the world. “This podcast gives a voice to everyone in astronomy – professionals, amateurs, and those who just enjoy the amazing discoveries and images of our Universe,” said Dr. Pamela Gay, chair for the IYA’s New Media Group.

The 365 Days of Astronomy podcast is now looking for individuals, schools, companies and clubs to submit 5 – 10 minutes of audio for our daily podcast.

The 365 Days of Astronomy has gained a wide audience, and each podcast is heard by 5,000 – 10,000 listeners. The project was awarded a Parsec Award in 2009 for “The Best Info-tainment” podcast in 2009, and was nominated for the “Best Fact Behind the Fiction” award in 2010.

Participants can sign up to do just 1 episode or up to 12 episodes (one per month, subject to editorial discretion). People from every continent except Antarctica have submitted podcasts the past two years, and the 365 Days of Astronomy team encourages a more diverse population from even more countries to sign up for a particular day (or days) of 2011. A calendar of astronomical events is available on the project’s website to provide ideas but the podcasts can be about virtually any astronomical topic. “We are seeking a wide range of contributions, from simple concepts or how-tos to more in-depth discussions of complex concepts,” said Dr. Gay. “Over the past two years, we received a wide range of contributions, from simple at-home first-time podcasts to highly polished and professional recordings. We expect the same for 2011 and are looking to sign up a variety of participants, from amateur astronomers, classroom teachers and students to scientists, science bloggers and big media companies.”

The project is also asking individuals and organizations for financial support.

The podcast team also invites people and organizations to sponsor the podcast by donating $30 to support 1 day of the podcast, with your dedication appearing at the start of the show. For just $360, it is possible to sponsor 1 episode per month. Alternatively, you can also have a dedication message at the end of the show for a week, for a donation at the $100 level. These donations will help pay for editing, and posting of the podcasts.

During IYA2009 several global events took place. It was very helpful to EPO events promoters to know in advance what they would be and the dates in order to prepare their local community and media. This was part of the success of events like 100 hours of Astronomy. In order to keep this wave going we are preparing a International Astronomy Education and Public Outreach Events calendar. The main purpose is to help people willing to organise their local events to know what is taking place out there, who to contact for more information, and either take part or suggest something else.